It is no surprise that some of society’s most vulnerable individuals reside in nursing homes. Those who are either, elderly, disabled or simply do not have the capacity to live independently benefit greatly from this type of living. Staff work around the clock to ensure the safety and security of all occupants and attend to their every need.
This may lead you to believe that nursing home residents are immune from danger. That could not be farther from the truth. Personal injuries can occur no matter where one might live. The fragility of some nursing home occupants in addition to hazards within the buildings can be a recipe for disaster when it comes to the number of slip and fall injuries. The experienced Philadelphia slip and fall accident attorneys at Kwartler Manus will fight for your right to compensation.
What Are Slip and Fall Accidents?
Slips and falls have been commonly known to happen in and around the nursing home or hospital. More nursing homes have reported a higher rate of falls compared to hospitals however. Research data offers a compelling reason for this: the greater the freedom of movement among nursing home residents, the higher rates of dementia and increased use of prescription medicines may partially explain the high risk level.
Other factors that affect the increased risk of falls can be:
- Age
- Gender: women are more likely than men to suffer falls which is in part due to a greater life expectancy
- Patient’s previous history
- Certain medicines
- Vision difficulties
- Weakness in the lower part of the body
- Shoes that do not fit properly
- Vitamin D deficiency
No matter the cause, slip and falls in nursing homes can be preventable. There are some good practices to follow that should decrease the likelihood of severe injuries. See that staff:
- Remove obstacles like food trays, carts or any mobility devices from hallways
- Create a cleaning schedule to minimize the presence of wet floors during hours when residents are most active
- Be attentive to incontinence issues and quickly changing clothes and/or bedding to prevent high risk patients from trying to go to the bathroom themselves
- Ensure that residents who have a higher risk of falling are close to nursing stations
- Provide easy access to walkers, canes and wheelchairs
- Maintain and utilize bed and chair alarms to alert staff if any resident attempts to move on their own
- Follow proper transferring protocols based on the resident’s needs
- Administer the correct medications and doses on schedule
Causes of Nursing Home Slip and Fall Accidents
The reasons slip and falls happen can be difficult to pinpoint exactly. This holds even greater truth when there are no witnesses to a resident’s injury. Then on top of that there may be some residents who do not know why they fell. This can be one giant cluster with serious consequences if nursing home staff members do not employ the aforementioned practices and go to great measures for resident safety.
Sometimes an injury may still occur, even after the nursing home has implemented a fall prevention strategy. The culprit of such injury is often none other than negligence, neglect or even abuse on the part of the nursing home staff.
Call Kwartler Manus Today
If you find yourself or a loved one at a nursing home and have experienced a fall resulting in serious injuries, that may or may not require hospitalization Contact us online or by phone at 267-457-5570 to schedule a complimentary consultation today. You may be eligible for compensation. Take advantage of our quality services offered by the experienced Philadelphia slip and fall accident attorneys at Kwartler Manus. For more information on slip and fall accidents, do not hesitate to complete a contact form. Our team works hard to support clients so they can walk away with a successful settlement.